The Terminally Ill Young Master of the Baek Clan

The Blue-Eyed Mad Demon, Cheong Seo-ho.

Although Golden Needle Phantom had explained it, Yi-gang had actually looked up the records earlier.

She was a martial master who was active roughly 40-50 years ago. She died 41 years ago due to a joint purge by the Murim Alliance and the Unorthodox Union. In other words, she was a person from the olden days who had died long before Yi-gang was born.

However, Yi-gang, who had been with the Immortal Divine Sword, a person from an even older era, did not feel the gap of years so acutely.

The youthful appearance of the Blue-Eyed Mad Demon might have influenced this perception.

She was about the same age when she died, probably twenty-nine. At that young age, she had risen to a position of the strong.

With agility beyond the imagination of ordinary people, the flash of her short sword, only the length of a forearm, would sever someone’s neck.

An interesting record was that Cheong Seo-ho was a blind swordswoman. Her title included the phrase “blue eyes,” yet she was blind.

But since there were quite a few such records, Yi-gang made his own conjecture.

‘Cataracts?’

It’s a disease where the lens became cloudy, eventually leading to loss of vision. Perhaps Cheong Seo-ho had cataracts, and the pale lenses looked like blue eyes.

So, the testimony of her being a blind swordswoman was probably recorded based on this plausible inference.

Of course, that was not the truth.

Her eyes, murmuring in anger, clearly emitted a distinct blue light to anyone who saw them.

「They made me, who did nothing, into a public enemy of the martial world. It’s obvious who is behind this…」

“Yes.”

The Blue-Eyed Mad Demon, showing her sharp fangs, glanced at Yi-gang while making a grinding noise.

「Isn’t it surprising? Not just the Murim Alliance but even the Unorthodox Union was moved to action. Both the orthodox and unorthodox factions gathered to kill me.」

“That’s right.”

「The ones who orchestrated all these events… must be powerful. That’s why it was possible.」

But Yi-gang’s calm demeanor seemed to displease her.

「Aren’t you curious? Who exactly could manipulate both the Murim Alliance and the Unorthodox Union?」

“Well, I don’t know.”

「And who wanted me dead so badly?」

“I’m not particularly curious about that….”

Yi-gang spoke as if he was troubled. While there might be something shady going on, he wasn’t particularly interested.

To the Blue-Eyed Mad Demon, this seemed unbelievable.

「Fine! I didn’t plan on telling you anyway!」

“Okay.”

The Forest Lord quietly observed Yi-gang conversing with her. Though he couldn’t hear the Blue-Eyed Mad Demon, he seemed to grasp the conversation and spoke.

“There’s a tragic story behind Seo-ho. It seems she has secrets that she hasn’t told anyone.”

“The reason you introduced her to me is…”

Yi-gang had many questions for the Forest Lord, more than for the Blue-Eyed Mad Demon. He wondered why the Forest Lord had introduced her to him.

“It seems that you and Seo-ho can help each other.”

“Help, you say…”

He had some guesses.

Yi-gang looked at the Blue-Eyed Mad Demon. She stood proudly, her chest puffed out.

“You’ve only connected one of the major meridians. You need to connect at least four more of the nine major meridians to avoid premature death.”

He had inherited the immense spiritual energy of the Immortal Divine Sword and connected one major meridian. He was at a loss on how to connect the remaining meridians.

“Are you saying… she can help me connect the meridians?”

Yi-gang’s tone was hesitant. It was hard for him to believe.

“Yes.”

“The only reason I could connect a major meridian was because I was extremely lucky, wasn’t it?”

“Certainly, you were lucky.”

“That’s because my ancestor had tremendous spiritual energy, a special case.”

Yi-gang said so, glancing at the Blue-Eyed Mad Demon.

He would not have known before. But after enlightening the Immortal Divine Sword, his sense of spiritual energy had sharpened, and he could tell.

“She seems… incomparable, doesn’t she?”

「…Impudent brat!」

Cheong Seo-ho grumbled, but Yi-gang paid no attention.

It was true. At a glance, the Immortal Divine Sword and Cheong Seo-ho were incomparable. The Immortal Divine Sword was an absolute master on the verge of reaching the stage of Ascension.

No matter how skilled Cheong Seo-ho was, there was a gap. Moreover, she didn’t seem to possess abundant spiritual energy.

「I don’t know who you’re comparing me to, but in my lifetime, I was still…」

“Of course, she can’t be compared to him.”

As the Forest Lord affirmed Yi-gang’s words, Cheong Seo-ho seemed a bit deflated.

“However, it’s true that Seo-ho is born with the blood of a great yokai.”

“You mean that Heavenly Thunder White-Tailed Fox.”

Yi-gang suddenly thought of the Great Tiger and the Two-Headed Ghost Tiger.

They were extraordinary yokai, but even so, they were just creatures. Would those called great yokai be different?

“True top-class yokai. The kin of Heavenly Thunder White-Tailed Fox wields power beyond the spiritual energy left by the Divine Sword.”

“…Yokai?”

Yi-gang didn’t underestimate yokai. It was just that the Immortal Divine Sword was the point of comparison.

It was hard to believe that yokai could surpass the world’s greatest martial master.

“Strength is not the only measure. Yokai are beings that naturally wield yokai energy based on spiritual energy.”

“In that case…”

“If you, Yi-gang, help Seo-ho, the kin of Heavenly Thunder White-Tailed Fox will duly reward you. Enough spiritual energy to connect the major meridians, at least.”

Surprised by the remarkable story, Yi-gang looked back at the Blue-Eyed Mad Demon, Cheong Seo-ho.

She was looking elsewhere, but when she noticed Yi-gang’s gaze, she glared back at him.

Her appearance did not inspire much confidence. After all, the idea of yokai helping a human with yokai blood was unusual. Even though it was the Forest Lord’s words, Yi-gang felt there was something that needed confirmation.

“…What do you mean by helping?”

“Those who have not achieved enlightenment still have lingering attachments. But instead of me speaking for them, it’s better you hear it directly.”

Could it be like the Immortal Divine Sword, resolving its grudges to achieve enlightenment?

But what came out of Cheong Seo-ho’s mouth was not what Yi-gang expected.

「I’m sick of humans now. I want to become a complete yokai.」

As Yi-gang stood silently, puzzled by her words, she began to stammer an explanation, 「My grandfather was a yokai, so I have about a quarter of yokai blood in me.」

How a human and a fox yokai came together was unclear, but that seemed to be the case.

「Three-quarters human. I’m sick of living as a human. Yokai are a hundred times better than humans.」

Yi-gang felt a sense of déjà vu.

This was exactly what Dam Hyun had said. He thought only Dam Hyun was crazy, but here was someone, or rather a spirit, who was even more extreme.

「Now that I’m dead, it doesn’t matter. Make me into a complete yokai.」

Abandoning humanity to be reborn as a yokai, that was the deep-seated wish of the Blue-Eyed Mad Demon, Cheong Seo-ho.

Yi-gang turned to look at the Forest Lord.

“She wants to become a yokai?”

“Haha…”

The Forest Lord seemed to have known this all along.

“Even if I wanted to help, what can I do? Isn’t it something even the Forest Lord couldn’t help with?”

There must have been a reason why she had remained a spirit until now.

“To become a yokai, one must visit the dwelling of her kin in Mount Kunlun. However, Seo-ho can’t leave this place. She’s barely sustaining her yokai energy with the spiritual energy of Mount Heng.”

It appeared that Cheong Seo-ho, lacking the power of the Immortal Divine Sword, couldn’t leave this place.

“Then I…”

“With you, Yi-gang, it could be possible.”

The Forest Lord beckoned Yi-gang closer.

He then placed a blue gemstone in Yi-gang’s hand.

“This is the Blue Eye Gem in which Seo-ho is imbued. Hold it tightly and relax your mind.”

Yi-gang silently followed the Forest Lord’s instruction.

“Hasn’t the major meridian from your right hand’s palm to the Qihai point been connected? You should be able to guide not only internal energy but also Innate True Qi.”

Soon, something seemed to whoosh out of Yi-gang’s palm, turning into a necklace.

「Wow!」

And then, the Blue-Eyed Mad Demon, Cheong Seo-ho, abruptly stood up.

Her hair stood on end, and her eyes sparkled.

「This is!」

Cheong Seo-ho’s lips were brushed by her bright red tongue, showing a look of immense satisfaction.

Yi-gang also realized what had happened.

“Yi-gang, even a very slight amount of your Innate True Qi can supplement Seo-ho’s lacking yokai energy. It’s an easy task for you, whose major meridians are connected with that spiritual energy.”

As the Forest Lord had said, what had escaped was a slight amount of Innate True Qi, which would naturally replenish in about a day.

Yi-gang nodded and asked Cheong Seo-ho, “Do I just need to visit Mount Kunlun with this gemstone?”

「It’s simple, right? Ah, but there’s one thing you need to bring with you.」

“What is that?”

「There’s another one of these gems. They come in pairs.」

Yi-gang carefully examined the gemstone in his hand. The Blue Eye Gem, was it an object imbued with Cheong Seo-ho’s affection, like the Immortal Divine Sword’s Shooting Star Fang?

「It used to be in my eye. This one was in my left eye. You also need to take the Blue Eye Gem from my right eye. It’s like a symbol containing the yokai energy of my kin.」

Yi-gang almost carelessly threw the Blue Eye Gem away.

“A gemstone was in your eye?”

「It’s a crystallization of yokai energy. It’s important.」

“If it’s so important, why did you lose it?”

If it was that important, she should have taken proper care of it.

「Even if it’s far away, I can find it…」

It seemed like she was laying the groundwork for something.

「I couldn’t help it. Before I even escaped to Mount Kunlun, some guy stabbed my right eye. When he pulled out the blade, my eyeball popped out, you know?」

Indeed, the Blue-Eyed Mad Demon, Cheong Seo-ho, was no ordinary person. She described the incident of her eye being gouged out as casually as someone might talk about scraping their knee.

「That guy must have been the Squad Leader of the Murim Alliance’s Extinction Pursuit Squad. He was so thrilled, saying he’d treasure it as a valuable object.」

“Just get to the point.”

Yi-gang felt a sense of foreboding.

As expected, what came out of Cheong Seo-ho’s mouth was outrageous.

「That other Blue Eye Gem must be somewhere within the Murim Alliance. You need to get it.」

Yi-gang turned his gaze towards the Forest Lord, looking thoughtful.

“Murim Alliance, Blue Eye Gem…”

“Haha.”

The Forest Lord seemed to know about it too, judging by his laughter.

“Would they give it to me if I just asked?”

“Haha.”

It seemed unlikely that they would simply hand it over.

Yi-gang pondered, feeling that this task might be even more difficult than enlightening the Immortal Divine Sword. Mount Kunlun was far, and the idea of finding and stealing the Blue Eye Gem from the Murim Alliance seemed absurd.

Seeing Yi-gang deep in thought, the Blue-Eyed Mad Demon, Cheong Seo-ho, looked anxious.

The Forest Lord quietly interjected, “Don’t worry too much. It’s not like you have to leave right away. You should start your training as a disciple of the Azure Forest.”

He was right.

Yi-gang had now officially become a second-generation disciple of the Azure Forest. Having joined not as an Un line disciple but a Jin line disciple, Yi-gang needed to earn his place.

He could use his internal energy to some extent, so it was time to learn the martial arts of the Azure Forest as well.

“It’s a matter for at least a few years later. Think about leaving only after reaching the second-flower level.”

Jin Ri-yeon had just become a third-flower disciple. It would take that much time to become a second-flower disciple.

Even if Cheong Seo-ho was unknown, the Forest Lord was a trustworthy person. No matter where he went, the Azure Forest would be the only place to heal Yi-gang’s body.

“And Seo-ho will be a great help too.”

“Help?”

「Of course, if you help me with my deep-seated wish,」Cheong Seo-ho said with a broad smile.「Shall I teach you the secret sword techniques? Or do you need flashy movement skills? Just say it!」

Yi-gang felt somewhat uneasy.

‘What would grandfather have said?’

What would the Immortal Divine Sword have advised?

As Yi-gang remained silent, the Blue-Eyed Mad Demon, Cheong Seo-ho, looked anxious.

As expected, Yi-gang shook his head.

“I’m not sure.”

「What do you mean you’re not sure? Learning my martial arts is a tremendous opportunity. I am Cheong Seo-ho!」

However, Yi-gang didn’t need any martial arts from Cheong Seo-ho or anyone else.

He had enough on his plate digesting the martial arts left by the Immortal Divine Sword.

“I’m fine without learning martial arts.”

「Then…」

If the Immortal Divine Sword had been there, it might have suggested teasing her a bit first.

“I have one question.”

Cheong Seo-ho swallowed nervously, waiting for Yi-gang to speak.